Spreading tool for reshaping deformed automobile bodies



Aug. 17, 1948. w. H. FERGUSON ETAL 9 3 SPREADING TOOL FOR RESHAPINGDEFORMED AUTOMOBILE BODIES Fil ed March 2, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet l Hzmlfiow: l Vz/llamHFkrgu/som Ifarry 611 6219166021,

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SPREADING TOOL FOR RESHAPING DEFORMED AUTOMOBILE BODIES Filed March 2,1945 f 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 m 1 Wu lngleni/urs;

2/ 21am .Frgws Harry (I Rr guson I I 3 51%,, M W W ys Patented Aug. 17,1948 SPREADING TOOL FOR RESHAPING DE FOItMED AUTOMOBILE BODIES WilliamH. Ferguson, Malden, and Harry G. Ferguson, Melrose. Mass., assignors toH. K. Porter, Inc., Everett, Mass., a corporation of MassachusettsApplication March 2, 1945, Serial No. 580,572

3 Claims. 1

This invention relates to spreading tools particularly intended for usein connection with the repair of automobile bodies and fenders whichhave been deformed by collision or otherwise in order to bend displacedparts back to or toward their original position. We provide a wieldy butpowerful device capable of use in tight places, as by insertion withinthe interior of the body construction to apply within the same theforceof a powerful force-exerting mechanism of the type of a jack. It isconvenient to use a jack which may be applied to other uses and in asense the construction herein shown may be considered as an attachmentfor use with a jack or a mechanism to be powered by a jack, parts beingprovided for detachable coupling to the relatively stationary andmovable parts of the jack, conveniently by means of screw-threadedconnections as in the case of the devices shown in the patent to McBride1,353,600 wherein, as in the present disclosure, a jack of the hydraulictype is illustrated.

Our invention will be well understood by reference to the followingdescription taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of the device in closed position mounted ona jack only parts of which are shown;

Fig. 2 is a view from the left-hand side of Fig.

Fig. 3 is a similar view from the right-hand side, the jack beingomitted;

Fig. 4 is a View similar to Fig. 1 showing the parts in another similarposition;

Fig. 5 is an inner view of the distal portion of the right-hand arm; and

Fig. 6 is a section on the line 8-45 of Fig. 1.

Referring to Fig. 1 of the drawings, we have there indicated thecylinder 0 of a hydraulic jack from which projects the plunger or pistonrod P, to which parts are detachably screwthreaded respectively the basemembers l9 and E2 on which the parts of the spreader proper areorganized. In the example of the invention shown the spreading action isefiected by an axial extension of the plunger or piston rod P underhydraulic pressure.

We here show the member Ill as provided on opposite sides with ears I 4,two to the left (see Fig. 2) and three to the right (see Fig. 3), theformer being located opposite to the spaces between the latter. Theseears receive pins IS on which are pivotally mounted the right and lefthand spreader arms iBR and ISL, respectively, which are preferablyformed of a plurality of fiat elements as hereinafter more fullydescribed. The contour of these arms as seen from the front is wellshown in Figs. 1 and 4, and we will describe them with reference to theformer figure. Each comprises a proximal portion 20 extending from thepivot 55 substantially parallel to the axial line of the jack, and theythen curve inwardly to provide distal portions 2|, closely arranged(herein overlapping and nested as to be described) and locatedsubstantially in the axial line of the jack plunger P. The left-hand armcarries a pivot bolt 22 for pivotally supporting thereon a work-engagingplate or pad. 2 suitably contoured in the manner of a dolly block, theplate having ears 2% on the back thereof to receive the pivot. The bolt22 is readily removable and provides for the use of interchangeabledolly blocks of differing form. The right-hand arm terminates short ofthe ears Z6 and is here shown as welded to the back of an abutment plate28. We here show a rubber covering 30 in the form of a jacket or sleeve39 extending over the outer face and the margins of the plate 28 andsecured by a transverse web 32 at the top and lateral flanges 34 alongthe sides which overlie the inner face of the plate 28. This coveringaids in positioning the arm and prevents it from slipping when in use.

The distal portions 2| of the arms are close together as described inthe closed position of theparts illustrated in Fig. 1, forming a longnarrow stem which may be easily inserted between parts which it isdesired to press apart to position the work-engaging elements 24 and 28between them, as, for example, between'a relatively stationary interiorframe element and a panel which has been crushed down toward To causeseparating movement of the arms and of the work-engaging plates at thedistal ends thereof, at least one (and herein where both arms aremovably mounted on the base member it both of them) are actuated fromthe piston rod or plunger P of the jack. Herein a link 3611.- is pivotedat one end between ears M of the base member l2 by pivot pin I5 and atthe other to the left-hand arm IBL at the proximal portion 28 thereof,which lies distant from the axial line of the jack, and this link in theclosed position of the parts extends at a substantial angle to the axialline, about 20 in the example illustrated, so that when the plunger Pstarts to move upwardly, viewing Fig. 1, a substantial component offorce is exerted on the arm. A similar link 36R. extends substantiallysymmetrically to the right-hand arm I8R. If we consider the right-handarm as stationary (as it may be in practice) the two links 36L and 36R,may be considered as a toggle joint, the right-hand pivot 38R.constituting the abutment. The arrangement involving two links as shownminimizes lateral strain on the plunger as the transverse components arebalanced. 1

counterpart members of sheet metal of suitable thickness and of adequatedepth (transverse dimension, viewing Fig. 1) to give rigidity. The

left-hand arm l8L may consist of three of the elements thus referred toassembled between and at either side of the left-hand ears, M as shownin Fig. 2 of the drawings, while the right-hand arm ISR. consists of twoelements assembled between the ears l4 at the other side as shown inFig. 3. The two last referredto will be out'of line with and betweenthose first referred to and their distal portions 2| can enter betweenthe distal portions 2! of others or mesh therewith when the tool isclosed as shown in Fig. 1. The lefthand toggle link 36L, as seen in Fig.2, may comprise two flat elements with the ends received between thethree flat elements which go to make up the arm IBL forming therewith astack of five parts at the location of the pivot 38L, as clearly shownin Fig. 2, while three fiat elements go to make up the right-hand link35R and alternate with the two elements which form the right-hand arml8R forming therewith a stack of five parts at the location of the pivot38R as seen in Fig. 3. The proximal ends of the five link-formingelements, as seen in Fig. 6, form a stack of five received between thesupporting ears 1% on the base member I2. The flat arm-forming elementsare spaced and supported at their proximal ends by the pivot ears IE5,at their distal ends by the plates 24 and 28 and between these points bythe elements of the links 36L and 36B which -enter between them. Figs. 2and 3 indicate (not to accurate scale) that the individual thickness ofthe two elements which go to make up the righthand arm ltR and theleft-hand toggle linke 36L may be greater than that of the three whichmake up the left-hand arm I811 and the righthand link 36R. Theproportions may desirably be so chosen that each arm and link is ofsubstantially the samestrength with respect to a load transversethereto, viewing Figs. 2 and 3. To this end account should be taken ofthe principle that the strength of a beam under transverse load variesas the square of its width.

The construction just described is simple 'to make and assemble and islight and strong. In the spreading action the force of the jack isapplied in the central plane, viewing Figs. 2 and 3, without anytwisting component. The arms may be made of adequate depth of desiredstrength and rgidity, yet because of the meshing arrangement illustratedin Fig. 1 a narrow head or point is provided for the tool as a wholewhich permits its easy insertion in close places.

In referring to the parts in the annexed claims they will be spoken ofas if in the position of Fig. 1, the collapsed or retracted position ofthe tool as contrasted with the expanded position of Fig. 4.

It will be apparent that the invention may be embodied in other specificforms without departing from the spirit or essential attributes thereof,and the present embodiment should therefore be considered in allrespects as illustrative and not restrictive, as is in fact clear inseveral matters from the desorption itself. Reference is to be had tothe appended claims to indicate those principles of the inventionexemplified by the particular embodiment described and which it isdesired to secure by Letters Patent.

We claim:

1. A spreader tool comprising first and second base members providingmeans whereby the parts hereinafter recited are respectively operativelyassociated with the movable and stationary memhers of a. jack, thesecond member having workengaging arms arising from opposite sidesthereof, one at least of which is pivotally mounted, and

one at least having a proximal approximately straight portion and thenbeing inturned toward the other and having a distal, outwardly extendingportion, the arms each comprising a stack of spaced flat elements, thoseof one arm being opposits the spaces between those of the other, andlinks pivoted to the first member and to the spaced elements of the armsrespectively comprising flat elements staggered in the two links andwith their ends received in the spaces between the elements of the arms.I

2. A spreader tool comprising first and second base members providingmeans whereby the parts hereinafter recited are respectively operativelyassociated with the movable and stationary members of a jack, the secondmember having workengaging arms arising from opposite sides thereor, oneat least of which is pivotally mounted, and one at least having aproximal approximately straight portion and then being inturned towardthe other and having a distal, outwardly extending portion, the armseach comprising a stack of spaced flat elements, those of one arm beingopposite the spaces between those of the other, and a link pivoted tothe first member and extending at a substantial angle to the axial lineof the jack and pivoted at its other end to the'pivotally mounted arm inthe zone of the proximal portions of the arms.

3. A spreader tool comprising first and second base members providingmeans whereby the parts hereinafter recited are respectively operativelyassociated with the movable and stationary members of a jack, the secondmember having pivot bearings at each of opposite sides thereof, armsarising from said opposite sides of said member respectively, each armcomprising a stack of spaced, fiat elements pivoted at the bearings onthe corresponding side, the elements forming one arm being stagggeredrelatively to the ele-- ments forming the other arm, the arms beinginturned at a location between their ends to provide proximal spacedportions and distal portions where the elements of one stack may passinto the spaces between the elements of the other stack, and linkspivoted to the first member and having ends received between and pivotedto the arm-forming elements at points in the spaced portions thereof.

WILLIAM H. FERGUSON. HARRY C. FERGUSON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS

